


Winter Woods

by ScribeOnTheSide



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Holidays, M/M, New Year's Fluff, Vignette, Winter, Winter Solstice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-02 11:19:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17263298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScribeOnTheSide/pseuds/ScribeOnTheSide
Summary: Ranulf is on patrol on the longest night of the year, feeling alone and missing Ike.  Short scene that played out in my head.





	Winter Woods

**Author's Note:**

> The picture of Ranulf standing in an icy forest came to me when i woke up a few days ago. Sorry the story is a little late. It's been a hell of a holiday week :-)

The pale winter sun set early, leaving the camp in cold, sharp shadows. Lanterns flared to life as the lamplighters walked their routes, trailing clouds of chilled breath behind them. Patrols trudged in, frozen and tired. The returning laguz stayed in their beast forms, pulling all the warmth they could from their fur until they reached the fires that dotted the hilltop. 

Ranulf pulled on his gloves, looking at the other laguz and beorc preparing to take on the long night. Some grumbled under their breath about how unfair it was they pulled this night of all the nights.

“It’s solstice! Why do we have to miss the celebration? I wanna burn the logs and drink and dance till mornin’.”

The cat laguz smirked at the annoyance of the young soldiers. Every missed opportunity seemed the end of the world at that age. Life would soon show them that there was so much more to hope for. Waving to the Patrol Master, who acknowledged him leaving with a nod, Ranulf headed north, down the hill and into the surrounding forest. 

Icy stillness radiated from the pine trees that dripped with icicles as he got farther from camp. The sound of his boots crunching through the snow echoed in the emptiness. The camp was strategically located, being at the top of a hill with a view of the entire valley. Patrols should have been light. However, the presence of a thick forest that covered almost the entirety of the hill meant more soldiers needed to foot patrol and keep the enemy from creeping up on them. Not great planning, he thought.

Stopping under a tall tree with a high canopy, he shut his eyes, slowed his breathing, and listened. His fur-lined ears flicked and swiveled, hunting for signs of life. Snowshoe hares jumped hesitantly through the underbrush, out a little late for their kind. Foxes and other predators stealthy roamed, looking for a quick meal. Trees sighed as a slight breeze moved through them. Below all of these sounds, came the occasional faint snatch of song or laugh from the direction of the camp. Ranulf opened his eyes, his heart hurting for a moment. He was alone and lonely.

The moon peeped over the horizon, brilliantly white in its fullness. Stars dimmed as it rose in the sky but still populated the velvet blackness with frozen crystals. Ranulf continued to walk, feeling the cold seep in from every opening in his clothing. Switching forms would provide more warmth but a memory stopped him. 

The moon wasn’t as full last year but it was just as bitterly cold. Same war, different camp. He heard the solstice celebrations from a distance then too. But a gloved hand held his tightly. A warm body leaned in close, heat crossing the small gap between them. The metal ring on a chain placed around his neck felt like ice. Their misty breath mingled as soft lips whispered of love and forever before meeting his in a forest so very similar to this one.

Ranulf felt a catch in his throat as he thought about then… thought about him. It had been three months now since he’d been called away. Ike Greil and his band of fighters were always in high demand across the battlefields. Ranulf knew Ike couldn’t refuse royal orders. But nights like this one… when everyone rejoiced...when new beginnings were celebrated… he couldn’t help but wish…

He shook his head sharply, pushing the thought away. No. No wishing. His life had already stretched long enough to know that nothing ever came from wishes. He needed to do his job and work to get this war ended. That was the only thing he could do to bring his beautiful beorc back to him. 

Reaching into his coat, he clasped the ring. Ranulf sent a quick prayer to the gods to watch over his Ike before breaking into a run. Time to focus on patrolling. With a flash of light, his shape morphed into a large fierce cat. The only adornment left from his human form was a light silver chain with a plain gold ring. 

The rest of the night passed slowly. Ranulf stalked the forest, investigating every sound. The beorc patrols caught occasional glimpses of him in the shadows as he made his rounds. A few rabbits unlucky enough to cross his path were carefully killed and put aside to take to the cooks. It would save the hunters some work. 

Even as checking on the night noises continued to distract him, his thoughts returned to what Ike might be doing. Was he celebrating with his men? With Mist and Soren? Was he in danger? In the early hours of the morning, just before moon set, Ranulf morphed to his human form next to a supply drop point. Inside a backpack that hung on a tree near a large rock, he found some cheese and a few slices of bread. He dropped them in his right pocket to warm them up and after a few minutes, sat down on the rock to eat. 

Pulling a tattered piece of paper out of his left pocket, he carefully opened it and scanned the few lines. Ike usually wrote a page or two of gossipy notes to him but this last letter bore the marks of being rushed. It was more of a check-in than a letter, which worried Ranulf. He hoped it didn’t mean Ike was heading for more trouble. Next to the signature was a small drawing of a Yule tree, with two deer bounding around it. It made him smile as it had dozens of times since it was delivered just three days ago. Even in a rush, Ike made time to add a small picture. Ranulf treasured these little glimpses of Ike’s secret talent. They were reserved for him alone. He ran his fingers across the signature one more time before folding the letter gently and tucking it away. 

The rest of the night passed slowly. Ranulf met a few other tribe members out on patrol and they saluted the moon in the old laguz tradition but otherwise, stalked the forest alone. As dawn approached, he retrieved his dead rabbits and dropped them in the mess tent. The cooks wouldn’t be happy he just left them there but Ranulf was too tired to care anymore. 

Padding his way to his tent, he ignored the still drunk soldiers that gave him a wide berth. The wildness of his cat form kept him from having to make the jovial small talk everyone expected from his good-natured personality. He couldn’t muster the energy for it now. Melancholy flitted around the edges of his mind, wearing him down even further. Ranulf just wanted to get to his tent, sleep, and hopefully have dreams of Ike and happier times. 

A brisk snow began, dotting his teal fur with icy crystals from his tail to the tips of his furry ears. Slinking into his tent, he shook, sending flakes swirling in all directions. As the shimmy worked down his body, a soft glow showed the change from feline to human. By the time it reached the tip of the tail, Ranulf stood there, flicking the remaining dampness off his cat ears and tail. 

With a deep sigh, he let weariness take over. Food could wait. A quick note to Ike, followed by curling up in as many blankets as he could was his only plan. Crossing the tent, a movement in the corner startled him.

“You look cold.” 

Ranulf felt his need to sleep drop away. That voice… it couldn’t be…

Ike stepped into the lantern light from a dim grey corner of the tent. Warmth flooded Ranulf’s body as a bright smile lit up his face. He searched for a properly snarky retort but finally settled on the only thought in his mind.  
“What took you so long?”

Ike stepped forward, arms wide.  
“You know, this war thing and distance…. You miss me?”

Ranulf wrapped his arms around Ike’s waist and laid his head against his chest as Ike encircled him tightly.  
“Maybe just every minute of every day, my love. Give or take a second or two.”

Ike rested his cheek on the top of Ranulf’s head.  
“Me too, kitty cat.”


End file.
